final report - gichdgerman federal armed forces (bwb) and minewolf systems gmbh. the report refers...

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German Federal Armed Forces Technical Center for Weapons and Ammunition

Final Report

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Author: BR z.A. Mathias

Wagner

WTD-Nr.: 91-300 – 143 / 04

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VS- NUR FÜR DEN DIENSTGEBRAUCH

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Authorization for publication of the present report on the website of the International Test and Evaluation Program for Humanitarian Demining (ITEP) has been obtained from the German Federal Armed Forces (BWB) and MineWolf Systems GmbH. The report refers to trials that have been inserted by Germany in the ITEP Work Plan under Project 3.2.10 (Test and Evaluation of mechanically assisted clearance equipment).

Tel.: 05931/ 43 0

Fax: 05931/ 43 2091

BwFw: 90 2422 –88 (od. App.

Defense Technical Order (WTA)

Abstract

The mine-clearing system MineWolf was tested at WTD 91 Meppen in March 2004 during clearing runs over live antitank mine types DM 21, TM 57 und TM 62. The purpose of the tests was to assess the effects that mine detonations in the clearing device area have on the operator and to ascertain the damage caused to the vehicle.

The effects on the operator by mine detonations of the above types are within the admissible and acceptable range, provided that the detonations occur on the mine-clearing device. After each mine detonation the damage on the vehicle was checked and documented and the vehicle was repaired as required. Necessary repairs, mainly welding work, could be performed on site the same day.

WTD 91 - 310 -26/04

BR z.A. Matthias Wagner

Keywords:

Distribution: Seiten: 32

BWB K 61 WTD 91 - 310

3 EA + 7 CD`s 1 EA

DirWTD 91 1 EA BWB Fist 1 EA

WTD 91-AGB-001-01-03

WTD 91

German Federal Armed Forces Technical Center for Weapons and Ammunition Schießplatz, 49716 Meppen

Task designation: MineWolf – Clearing of Live Mines

E/ KP0A/ 31880/ 1F050 Task number: BTK OrgKz lfd. WTA-Nummer lfd. Vorh.-Nummer

WTD 91 - 310 Kasper Report prepared by: Wagner 2104 Task manager: OrgKz. Bearbeiter Telefon

Business area / section: 300 / 310

Final Report WTD No.: 91 - 300 - 143/04 Ref.: 90 - 13 - 45 Project designation: Landmine Counter Measures Project number: 1F050 Requesting authority: BWB Requesting section : BWB K61 Kronjäger 6352 OrgKz Name Tel.

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Content

1.0 Task Description 4

2.0 Summary of Results 4

3.0 Short Description of the Test Item 5

4.0 Schedule and Required Effort 6

5.0 Detailed Description of 7

5.1 Background 7

5.2 Remote Control Tests 7

5.3 Tests with Manned Mine-Clearing Vehicle 8

6.0 Determination of Results and Assessment 9

6.1 Biomechanical Assessment of ATD Measured Values 9

6.2 Blast Pressure Measurements 10

6.3 Mine-Clearing Runs against Live Antitank Mines 10

6.3.1 Test with Flail against Antitank Mine DM 21 (Test 01) 10

6.3.2 Test with Flail against Antitank Mine DM 21 (Test 1) 11

6.3.3 Test with Flail against Antitank Mine TM 57 (Test 2) 11

6.3.4 Test with Tiller against Antitank Mine DM 21 (Test 3) 13

6.3.5 Test with Tiller against Antitank Mine TM 57 (Test 4) 2

6.3.6 Test with Tiller against Antitank Mine TM 62 P3 (Test 02) 4

6.3.7 Test with Flail against Antitank Mine TM 57 (Test 5) 2

6.3.8 Test with Flail against Antitank Mine TM 62 P3 (Test 6) 21


6.3.10 Test with Tiller against Antitank Mine TM 62 P3 (Test 8) 24


VS- Nur für den Dienstgebrauch

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6.3.12 Contact Detonation with Antipersonnel Mine DM 31 1

6.3.13 Damage Determination by the Manufacturer

7.0 List of References 3

List of Figures and Pictures 4


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1 Task Description The effects of mine detonations on the vehicle during the clearing of live antitank mines were to be ascertained. This, however, was limited to mine detonations which occur on the clearing device in front of the vehicle due to the clearing process. The results shall yield information on

• the mental and physical effects on the operator

• the scope of the resulting damage and the maintenance effort

• the negative effects on an ongoing clearing process

• the planning of an ongoing clearing process

To this end, the vehicle had to be subjected to clearing tests and contact explosions with live antitank mine types DM 21, TM 62 and TM 57 . Furthermore, a lateral contact explosion was to be conducted on the vehicle with bounding fragmentation mine DM 31.

2 Summary of Results

The mine-clearing system MineWolf with both accessory devices is suitable for clearing live antitank mines. The use of the flail device for clearing live antitank mines caused only minor damage which could be repaired with a limited effort or did not necessitate any repairs at all. The use of the tiller against live antitank mines resulted in considerably greater damage. These can only be repaired with a substantially greater effort than those caused with the flail. The repairs, mainly welding work, could be performed on site the same day. As a result of the biomechanical evaluation of dummy (ATD) measurements and the questioning of three operators it can be said that the load on the operator by mine detonations is within the admissible and acceptable range. This statement applies to the examined mine types DM 21, TM 62 and TM 57 and only refers to mine detonations which occur in the area of the clearing device.


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3 Short Description of the Test Item The Minewolf is a mine-clearing device which has been developed especially for humanitarian mine-clearing. It is used for area clearing. The MineWolf system consists of a fragment-proof caterpillar, a protected driver's cab and a mechanically driven mine-clearing device. Both a flail device and a mine tiller are available. The clearing process comprises two phases. First the area to be cleared is worked with the flail. This shall especially initiate or destroy surface-laid antitank mines (ATM) and antipersonnel mines (APM). In a subsequent second phase with the tiller the remains of the ATM, the mine fuzes and all APM shall be crushed or initiated. Clearing depths of up to 30 cm in the soil are achieved with the tiller. According to the UN and the MineWolf SOP, a follow-up search is required to remove incompletely destroyed fuzes and mines.

Fig. 1 MineWolf with Flail in Operation


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Fig. 2: MineWolf with Tiller

4. Schedule and Required Effort

Test site: WTD 91 Meppen

Area at Bunker 30000

Schedule: 24 – 25 Feb 04 familiarization and test runs at the "Hufeisenwall" (horseshoe wall)

01 – 03 Mar 04 unmanned (remote) clearing tests with live antitank mines

08 – 09 Mar 04 manned clearing tests with live antitank mines

09 Mar 04 contact detonation with bounding mine DM 31


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5. Detailed Description of Tests

5.1 Background

The clearing tests with live mines were conducted between 01 and 09 March 2004 on the Meppen premises at bunker 30000. The soil was grown sand covered with grass. The first four trials were performed via remote control. Then 5 tests with human operators could be performed.

5.2 Remote Control Tests

On the one hand, the remote control tests serve to ascertain damage that a mine which is initiated by the clearing process causes to the vehicle. Furthermore, the physical effects and potential risks for the operator had to be measured by means of an instrumented test dummy, in order to be able to perform a human-related biomechanical assessment. This was an indispensable prerequisite for the safety board and the firing controller to approve manned tests. To record the measured values an ATD (Anthropometric Test Device = instrumented test dummy) was placed on the driver's seat, which was fitted with various sensors to measure the human relevant loads. The pertinent details are contained in the feeder report "Biomechanical Assessment of Mine-Clearing Tests with Live Mines". The following measurements and documentations were performed: • Video recording from outside

• Video recording inside the driver's cab

• Blast pressure measurement inside the driver's cab

• Acceleration measurement inside the driver's cab

• Measurements with the ATD

• Photos of the damage to the mine-clearing devices A total of 6 remote clearing tests were conducted against live antitank mines. Four of these tests led to the detonation of the cleared mines and thus to exploitable measuring results. Two tests each with the two mine-clearing devices


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(flail and tiller) were conducted against one DM 21 and TM 57 ATM each. In order to be able to rule out uncontrolled movements of the MineWolf, it was secured to a recovery tank during the tests. The mines to be cleared were laid one by one centrally in front of the clearing device. After a detonation the vehicle was stopped immediately and the effects were documented. If required, the clearing device was repaired prior to the next test run.

5.3 Tests with Manned Mine-Clearing Vehicle

The remote control tests were a necessary prerequisite to perform the manned tests. The results of the biomechanical assessment and the blast pressure measurement had to rule out any hazard to the operator when clearing live antitank mines. Since the results thus obtained only reflected the effect of detonations on the mine-clearing device, an additional safety measure was required which would prevent the vehicle from possibly driving over non-initiated mines. This was achieved by securing the MineWolf to a recovery tank in such a way that the forward movement of the vehicle was stopped when the mine had reached the end of the clearing device. The following measurements and documentations were performed:

• Video recording from outside

• Photos of the damage to the mine-clearing devices

• Questioning of the operators

• Blast pressure measurement

A total of 5 clearing runs with 3 different drivers were performed. Both mine-clearing devices and 3 different antitank mines (DM 21, TM 57 und TM 62) were used. The following table provides an overview of the tests conducted:

Run Date Detonation Mine Clearing device Operator

01 01 Mar 04 no DM 21 flail RC

02 03 Mar 04 no TM 62 P3 tiller RC

1 01 Mar 04 yes DM 21 flail RC

2 02 Mar 04 yes TM 57 flail RC


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6 Determination of Results and Assessment

6.1 Biomechanical Assessment of ATD Measured Values

The measured values of the ATD were evaluated by WTD91 GF 450. As a result of this evaluation it can be stated there is no intolerable risk of injury for the MineWolf operator itting inside the driver's cab. All human-related criteria which could be evaluated were fulfilled. The risks of injury are minimal and are far below the valid limits for mine-protected vehicles. Even in case of repeated consecutive loads no serious consequences have to be expected. Slight temporary disturbances like headache or muscular pain cannot be excluded, however. These statements, however, only apply to mine detonations that occur in the area of the mine-clearing device. Should there be a mine detonation underneath the vehicle or a track, completely different effects have to be considered. According to the present state of knowledge, it cannot be ruled out in that case that the valid limits for mine protection tests will be exceeded and thus the mine protection criteria will not be fulfilled. In all areas investigated the loads measured during tiller operation were higher than those during the flail tests.

02 Mar 04 yes DM 21 tiller RC

4 03 Mar 04 yes TM 57 tiller RC

5 08 Mar 04 yes TM 57 flail human

6 08 Mar 04 yes TM 62 P3 flail human

7 09 Mar 04 yes TM 57 flail human

8 10 Mar 04 yes TM 62 P3 tiller human

9 10 Mar 04 yes TM 57 tiller human


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The biomechanical assessment of the mine-clearing tests are compiled in a separate sub-task report. The details of this summary can be taken from this report.

6.2 Blast Pressure Measurements The blast pressure measurements were performed by WTD 91 – 630 at the position "driver's head" in accordance with the "Regulations and Guidelines for the Recording and Evaluation of Weapons and Detonation Blasts".

The averages peak pressure level was 151.4 dB, the mean time of exposure 68.19 ms and the averaged peak pressure 0.74 kPa.

The daily permissible number of mine detonations was determined from the measured values according to the "Threshold level diagram for preventing auditory defects due to blast loads" for ear protection devices.

Accordingly, the blast pressure load without ear protection is inadmissible.

With headset H – 280 the permissible number of blast pressure loads is 23, with headset MAX Lite the permissible number of blast pressure loads is 561.

6.3 Mine-Clearing Runs against Live Antitank Mines

6.3.1 Test with Flail against Antitank Mine DM 21 (Test 01) This test was performed on 01 March 04 at 14:45 hrs with remote control and instrumented dummy.

The ATM was passed over without any reaction. The vehicle was driven back. The mine was not visible. It was located with a spade in the loose soil and its surface was carefully exposed. It was located about 2 m behind its original position. The top was upside. The garnishing material bonded to the arming cover was missing. Thus it had received sufficiently strong shocks that should have be led to an initiation.

After 15 minutes it was passed over again without changing its position, again without any reaction. The mine body was visible in the soil material and was covered with about 2 cm of soil. This was carefully removed by hand. The flail hits were even stronger than before. The mine had to be destroyed without any further contact.

The test could not be exploited.


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6.3.2 Test with Flail against Antitank Mine DM 21 (Test 1)

This test was performed on 01 March 04 at 15:45 hrs with remote control and instrumented dummy.

The ATM DM 21 detonated on site upon contact with the mine-clearing device. The vehicle was stopped immediately.

The hit occurred approx. 1 m off the right-hand outer edge. Damage:

The right-hand rubber mats had been torn off. One link of the mainly affected flail chain was slightly bent. Clearing could be continued with this damage.

Thus, the clearing result was very good.

Fig. 3: Effects of the Mine Detonation from Test 1

6.3.3 Test with Flail against Antitank Mine TM 57 (Test 2)



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The ATM TM 57 detonated on site upon contact with the mine-clearing device.

The vehicle was stopped immediately.

The hit occurred approx. 1 m off the left-hand outer edge.

Damage:

The left-hand rubber mats were lightly torn. Their mounting rails on the left support arm were less damaged than during the previous test on the right-hand side.

The mount of the mainly affected flail chain was expanded but easy to repair.

Thus, the clearing result was still very good.

Fig. 4: Eroded Flail after Test 2

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Fig. 5: Expanded Mount after Test 2

6.3.4 Test with Tiller against Antitank Mine DM 21 (Test 3)


The ATM DM 21 detonated on site upon contact with the mine-clearing device. The vehicle was stopped immediately.

The hit occurred centrally. Damage:

Two directly affected chisel teeth were worn, 2 others were pushed out to the rear. Three of the 30 x 130 cross spars of the tiller were bent.

Clearing could have continued but it was decided to perform repairs instead.

Repair effort:


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Some of the elements were disassembled by 2-4 persons in the afternoon, some parts of the affected cross spars were detached, new parts welded in and all parts reassembled.

Thus the damage was slightly greater, but acceptable for a cleared ATM.

Thus, the clearing result was still good.

Fig 6: Mine Detonation during Test 3

Fig 7: Damage to the Tiller after Test 3


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Fig. 8: Repaired Tiller after Test 3

6.3.5 Test with Tiller against Antitank Mine TM 57 (Test 4)




The hit occurred approx. 1.1 m off the right-hand side. Damage: One chisel had been pushed out to the rear. 3 rubber mats were torn off. One of the 30 x 130 cross spars was torn apart and strongly deformed. The adjacent spars were obviously less deformed than during the preceding test.

Clearing could thus be continued.

Thus, the clearing result was still rather good.


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Fig. 9: Damage to the Tiller after Test 4


Fig. 10: Missing Chisel after Test 4

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6.3.6 Test with Tiller against Antitank Mine TM 62 P3 (Test 02)

This test was performed on 03 March 04 at 10:55 hrs with remote control and instrumented dummy. The ATM TM 62 P3 was passed over without any reaction. Finally, the bottom part of the green plastic case was ejected approx. 10 m in forward direction. The vehicle was pulled back. The mine with the plastic case had been completely milled in its laying position but not properly cleared. The light brown plastic case (100 x 100) with the mine fuze and the primer charge form the mine body lay on top of the soft soil. The fuze cover had been hit twice and was torn in nearly over its entire circumference. Thus the firing pin was visible. Its two safety pins were still attached. This suggests that the fuze with the primer charge was still functional. The possible effect of the mine was clearly reduced by separating the main charge from the fuze with primer charge. Nevertheless, a functional fuze with primer charge still represents a similar threat potential as an antipersonnel mine. The mine fragments and the fuze had to be destroyed. The clearing result was inadequate.


Fig. 11: Damaged Rubber Mats after Test 4

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Fig 12: Laid ATM prior to Test 02


Fig 13: Pieces of the ATM after Test 02

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6.3.7 Test with Flail against Antitank Mine TM 57 (Test 5)

This test was performed on 08 March 04 at 13:45 hrs with Michael Kelly (company STS) as an operator.



The hit occurred approx. 1.1 m off the right-hand side.

Damage:

No particular damage could be recognized.

Repair effort:

Clearing could have been continued but it was decided to perform repairs instead. Five flail chains were replaced within 30 minutes.

Operator's impressions:

Mr. Kelly perceived the blast pressure and the acceleration in the armored cabin to be by all means acceptable.


Fig. 14 Mine Fuze after Test 02

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The clearing result was very good.



Fig. 16: Flail Chain Mounts after Test 5

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6.3.8 Test with Flail against Antitank Mine TM 62 P3 (Test 6)

This test was performed on 08 March 04 at 15:05 hrs with Michael Kelly (company STS) as an operator.

The ATM TM 62 P3 detonated on site upon contact with the mine-clearing device.


The hit occurred approx. 0.7 m off the right-hand side.

Damage:

Only minor damage was recognizable, one flail element was missing.

The mine crater in the ground was of normal size, the same as during the other mine detonations.

Clearing could have been continued with this damage.

Repair effort:

Since the clearing test with the flail were finished, no repair was performed. Instead, the flail was replaced by the tiller. This was done with the crane of the armored recovery vehicle in about 40 minutes.


Fig. 17: Repaired Flail after Test 5

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The clearing result was very good.


6.3.9 Test with Tiller against Antitank Mine TM 57 (Test 7) This test was performed on 09 March 04 at 10:10 hrs with Michael Kelly (company STS) as an operator.

The ATM TM 57 detonated on site upon contact with the mine-clearing device. The vehicle was stopped immediately. The hit occurred approx. 1.1 m off the right-hand side. Damage and repair effort: No chisel was missing. One cross spar (30 x 130) of the tiller was torn off and heavily deformed. One weld seam of a cross spar was torn. A total of 4 parts would have needed replacement. However, clearing could still continue.


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The clearing result was still rather good.

Fig. 20: Damage to Tiller after Test 7


Fig.19: Effects of Mine Detonation from Test 7

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6.3.10 Test with Tiller against Antitank Mine TM 62 P3 (Test 8) This test was performed on 09 March 04 at 10:45 hrs with Rolf Albrecht (WTD 91) as an operator.

The ATM TM 62 P3 detonated on site upon contact with the mine-clearing device.


The hit occurred approx. 0.5 m off the left-hand side. Damage:

One chisel was worn, two cross spars 30 x 130 were bent. The damage seemed to be minor as compared to the previous tests with the TM 57. The mine crater in the ground was of normal size. Clearing could thus be continued.


Mr. Albrecht perceived the blast pressure and the acceleration in the armored cabin to be by all means acceptable.

Thus, the clearing result was still rather good.



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6.3.11 Test with Tiller against Antitank Mine TM 57 (Test 9) This test was performed on 09 March 04 at 11:05 hrs with Jürgen Kronjäger (BWB) as an operator.



The hit occurred approx. 0.2 m off the right-hand outer edge of the tiller.

Damage:

The grinding sound when running down the tiller became stronger because one outer tooth was bent outwards. 4 cross spars 30 x 130 were deformed, two cross spars were torn off at the end of the weld seam. The depth control device was bent outwards but still functioning.

After some provisional works of about 15 minutes a test run with the tiller was performed. The tiller performance was still sufficient.

Thus, the clearing result was still rather good even after the third hit on the same tiller.


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Fig. 23 : Laid Antitank Mine prior to Test 9

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Fig. 26: Missing Chisel Tooth after Test 9

6.3.12 Contact Detonation with Antipersonnel Mine DM 31 These tests were performed on the afternoon of 09 March 04 at the request of the company STS/AHWI/RUAG. Two contact detonations with AP fragmentation mine DM31 were performed.

The mines were placed on solid ground 10 m and 5 m from the tiller on the left-hand (fully armored) side of the mine-clearing vehicle and the mine fuze DM56A1B1 was initiated by a detonator placed on top of it. After approx. 2 s the explosive device of the mine jumped from the launch box and detonated about 1 m above the ground.

At 10 m distance there were only a few fragment hits on the equipment: there were only small marks on the 6mm armor plates, there were 2 dents in the 3mm instrument box, one hit was found on the cabin glass.

At 5 m distance the fragment hits were more severe: slight dents in the 6mm armor plates, two full penetrations in the 3mm instrument box , also two full penetrations in the GPS arm, and two on the glass.

No fragment penetrations through the protected operator cab were detected.

The operability of the MineWolf was not affected by the fragment hits.


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6.3.13 Damage Determination by the Manufacturer After completion of the tests the MineWolf was disassembled by the company AHWI and the damage it had suffered was determined.

Damage had occurred especially by deformations of the V-belt pulleys and the lockwashers, which – according to the company – are due to the (elastic) pushing apart of the tiller box side panels.

The company estimated the damage at 19,723 Euro.

Fig. 27: V-belt Pulleys and Lockwashers


No fragment penetrations through the protected operator cab were detected. The operability of the MineWolf was not affected by the fragment hits.

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7 List of References Theimer, Gerhard: Kurzbericht Räumen von scharfen Panzerminen mit dem MINEBREAKER 2000 (2002) (Brief Report: Clearing of Live Antitank Mines with the MINEBREAKER 2000)

Königstein, Gunnar: Versuchsprotokoll Minenräumgerät MineWolf (Abschrift, erstellt von BWB K 61 vom 24.03.2004) (Test Report: Mine-Clearing Equipment MineWolf)

Nies, Oliver: Bericht / Teilauftrag Minenräumer MineWolf (Report / Subtask Mine-Clearing Equipment MineWolf)

Biomechanische Bewertung der Räumversuche mit scharfen Minen vom März 2004 (Biomechanical Assessment of Mine-Clearing Tests with Live Mines of March 2004)

Fig. 28: Deformed Lockwashers


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List of Figures

Fig. 1: MineWolf with Flail in Operation 6 Fig. 2: MineWolf with Tiller 7 Fig. 3: Effects of the Mine Detonation from Test 1 12 Fig. 4: Eroded Flail after Test 2 13 Fig. 5: Expanded Mount after Test 2 14 Fig. 6: Mine Detonation during Test 3 15 Fig. 7: Damage to the Tiller after Test 3 15 Fig. 8: Repaired Tiller after Test 3 16 Fig. 9: Damage to the Tiller after Test 4 17 Fig. 10: Missing Chisel after Test 4 17 Fig. 11: Damaged Rubber Mats after Test 4 18 Fig. 12: Laid ATM prior to Test 02 19 Fig. 13: Pieces of the ATM after Test 02 19 Fig. 14: Mine Fuse after Test 02 20 Fig. 15: Effects of the Mine Detonation from Test 5 21 Fig. 16: Flail Chain Mounts after Test 5 21 Fig. 17: Repaired Flail after Test 5 22 Fig. 18: Effects of the Mine Detonation from Test 6 23 Fig. 19: Effects of the Mine Detonation from Test 7 24 Fig. 20: Damage to Tiller after Test 7 24 Fig. 21: Effects of the Mine Detonation from Test 8 25 Fig. 22: Damage to Tiller after Test 8 26 Fig. 23: Laid Antitank Mine prior to Test 9 27 Fig. 24: Effects of the Mine Detonation from Test 9 28 Fig. 25: Damage to Tiller after Test 9 28 Fig. 26: Missing Chisel Tooth after Test 9 29 Fig. 27: V-Belt Pulley and Lock Washers 30 Fig. 28: Deformed Lock Washers 31


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final report - gichdgerman federal armed forces (bwb) and minewolf systems gmbh. the report refers...

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